Mike Lovegreen, long-serving Bradford County Conservation District Manager, will be honored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award on June 25 at Noon in the Capitol East Wing Rotunda in Harrisburg.

By a vote of 8 to 3, the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Tuesday amended and reported out Senate Bill 994 (Vogel-R-Beaver) establishing a system to put in place expensive, capital-intensive nutrient reduction technologies.

Tuesday the Pennsylvania Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee approved legislation that will make it more difficult and expensive for Pennsylvanians to protect our rivers and streams.

The House Wednesday voted to approve the state General Fund budget drafted by House Republicans which restores $3.8 million in funding for conservation districts, adds $2 million for the Heritage Parks Program, restores $400,000 in funding for Sewage Facilities Planning Grants and provides a $4.4 million increase to the Department of Environmental Protection personnel line items.

The PA Growing Greener Coalition Thursday praised the House for passing its version of the 2013-2014 state budget which restores funding for critical conservation programs. 

Gov. Tom Corbett Thursday asked for and received the resignation of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard J. Allan.

Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

The following bills were given final approval by the Senate and House and are now on the Governor's desk for action--

The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate- 

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Tuesday amended and reported out  legislation authorizing the state to set standards for the construction of drinking water wells.

The House Local Government Committee Wednesday reported out House Bill 821 (Harper-R-Montgomery) and Senate Bill 351 (Erickson-R-Delaware), companion bills which give communities new tools to help address stormwater management issues by giving municipal authorities the power to engage in stormwater management.

The Senate Wednesday passed Senate Bill 738 and Senate Bill 739 to provide local natural gas service to un-served and under-served areas of Pennsylvania sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware).

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 387 (Gillespie-R-York) eliminating civil penalties for local sewage enforcements officers. 

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets on June 18 to consider legislation reversing an Environmental Hearing Board decision on how the Department of Environmental Protection reviews on-lot septic system modules in HQ and EV watersheds and a bill setting green building standards for state buildings.

The Public Utility Commission Thursday published information on the distribution of $202.4 million in Act 13 drilling fees to county and municipal governments collected in 2012, slightly more than the $202.2 million collected for 2011.

The Public Utility Commission also reported this week $94,788,880 in Act 13 drilling impact fees will be distributed to state agencies and programs.

Rents and royalties collected on Marcellus Shale production in Pennsylvania have gone from $10.9 million in 2008 to $731 million in 2012, according to a study by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy.

Many states throughout the nation offer Master Watershed Steward volunteer programs through their land grant university extension services; these programs train citizen volunteers in the basics of water resource stewardship.

The PA League of Women Voters Water Resources Education Network still has slots available for a Source Water Protection Workshop on June 19 at the Raystown Lake Visitor Center in Huntingdon County.

You are invited to submit an Abstract to the 2013 Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Symposium “Stormwater From the Ground Up” to be held on the campus of Villanova University October 17-18.

The June issue of the Chesapeake Bay Journal is now available featuring articles in a Bay-friendly York County farm, efforts to designate the Susquehanna River as impaired and the air quality benefits of improving Bay water quality.  Click Here to read this issue.

On October 3 the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary will hold its annual Delaware Estuary Celebration in Philadelphia from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Independence Seaport Museum on the banks of the Delaware River at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia.  Click Here for more information.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its partners will hold two special events in June in and around Harrisburg, Dauphin County--

Comparing dredged and undredged sections of the Allegheny River, reduced populations of fish and less variety of aquatic life occurred in areas where gravel extraction took place, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences,.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Wednesday announced it is now accepting applications for their 2013 Fresh Paint Days Pennsylvania grants.  The deadline for applications is July 31.

The Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority's Transfer Station will accept up to 5 gallons of latex paint per person per day.  There is a $10.00 minimum charge for this service.

Featuring an internationally recognized speaker on CRT glass processing, the PA Recycling Markets Center, Inc. is offering a Markets Development Summit for E-Scrap Recycling on June 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East. 

The Department of Environmental Protection, along with its partners at Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities and PECO, will hold four free workshops for municipal and other fleet managers in the southeast region of Pennsylvania.

Northampton Generating Company, LP will pay a $119,354 fine as part of a consent assessment of civil penalty, the Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday. The agreement resolves air emissions violations from late 2009 through the first half of 2012.

Twenty community leaders got together Monday in State College to express their concern and frustration with lack of action on climate change by the President as well as Administration officials charged with protecting clean air and public health, not to mention Congress.

The Public Utility Commission recognized Global Wind Day June 15, a worldwide event, coordinated by the European Wind Energy Association and the Global Wind Energy Council. 

Interested paddlers are reminded that it is not too late to register for the 19th Annual Delaware River Sojourn, which will be held from June 22 through June 29. Individuals who sign up by June 15 can take advantage of a registration fee discount of $10/day.

Legislators, bicycling and walking enthusiasts, health organizations and other supporters gathered on the state Capitol steps Tuesday calling for comprehensive transportation funding that includes a first-ever investment in active modes of transportation – walking and bicycling.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Friday announced it will invest $2 million in capital budget monies to improve the connection between the Great Allegheny Passage and Point State Park in Pittsburgh.

An unusual opportunity to experience the diversity of life on a unique parcel of private property, and to interact with renowned scientists who will travel to Northeastern Wayne County to catalogue those life forms, will occur on June 29 during the first Upper Delaware BioBlitz.

Visitors are invited to see the only population of rare Regal Fritillary butterflies in Pennsylvania on four days in July at Fort Indiantown Gap, near Annville, Lebanon County.

On June 12, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy awarded its annual Delaware Highlands Conservancy/Yeaman Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to Katie Krause, a 2013 graduate of Delaware Valley High School.

The June 12 issue of the Department Of Conservation and Natural Resources online Resource newsletter is now available.  Sign up to receive your own copy at the bottom of the June 12 issue webpage.

Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Land Preservation Board Thursday safeguarded 1,906 additional acres on 23 farms in 11 counties through the state’s nationally renowned farmland preservation program.

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice of an opportunity to bid on an oil and gas well plugging project in Washington County.

The PA Resources Council is seeking candidates to fill the position of Western Regional Director based in Pittsburgh.  Application deadline July 5.  Click Here for details.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Office is seeking candidates to fill the position of Stream Buffer Specialist serving Southcentral Pennsylvania.  Resumes are due by June 24.  Click Here for details.

The ClearWater Conservancy in Centre County is seeking candidates to fill the Land Conservation Manager position.  Resumes are due by June 24.  Click Here for details.

This section gives you a continuously updated thumbnail sketch of issues to be considered in upcoming advisory committee meetings where the agendas have been released

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs.  NEW means new from last week.

Here's a selection of NewClips on environmental topics from around the state--

Here are NewsClips on topics related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling---

Here are NewsClips on watershed topics from around the state--

No new regulations were published this week.  Pennsylvania Bulletin - June 15, 2013

Upcoming legislative meetings, conferences, workshops, plus links to other online calendars.  Meetings are in Harrisburg unless otherwise noted.  NEW means new from last week.  Go to the online Calendar webpage.

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to:  DHess@CrisciAssociates.com.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.